It appears like the times of with the ability to purchase premium high quality ereaders is slowly coming to an finish. With each passing yr the general construct high quality of ereaders retains getting cheaper and cheaper.
You used to have the ability to purchase ereaders that have been made out of higher supplies that felt good in your hand and so they regarded good too. Premium ereaders typically (however not all the time) had metallic casings and prime quality glass entrance layers. Some had devoted web page buttons and smooth, inventive designs (just like the Kindle Oasis).
Now all the things is plastic-based. The casing is plastic. Flush layers are plastic. And plastic entrance layers aren’t as clear as glass so the display typically has a fuzzy high quality that older ereaders didn’t have.
The one factor about ereaders is they have an inclination to last more than most handheld electronics. It’s not unusual for an ereader to final upwards of 10 years or extra. If I’m going to purchase one thing and use it that lengthy, I’d a lot reasonably pay a bit extra for one thing of nicer high quality than one thing with an affordable plastic casing like the essential Kindle or Kobo Clara. However these days are seemingly coming to an finish.
There are some good premium high quality eNotes, just like the Kindle Scribe and Boox Notice Air. However relating to smaller ereaders there simply aren’t many premium fashions popping out anymore.
Kindles
The Kindle Voyage was the primary premium Kindle, and it was adopted by three generations of the Kindle Oasis. However the final Kindle Oasis was launched in 2019 and now Amazon doesn’t promote a premium mannequin anymore.
The Signature Version Paperwhite is fairly good with the metallic end on the again and the flush entrance display, however the plastic smudge-prone entrance layer and plastic casing with the identical previous boring design and awkward energy button placement simply isn’t on the identical stage because the Voyage or Oasis.
Kobos
Kobo has by no means been huge on metallic casings and premium designs, however they’ve had some good ereaders over time. The Kobo Aura One regarded and felt like a premium machine, and the Kobo Aura was the primary Kobo with a flush entrance design, but it surely didn’t final lengthy and each had uneven frontlight points. Later got here the Kobo Forma and Kobo Sage, but it surely appears just like the Sage is on the way in which out now so Kobo now not presents something that might be thought of “premium high quality”.
These days Kobo insists on utilizing the most affordable plastic they will discover, but it surely’s recycled in order that’s alleged to make it okay (hey, Kobo, metallic is recyclable too). I do know lots of people love Kobos and I do too, however of all of the ereader manufacturers available on the market, Kobo’s present lineup looks like they’ve the most affordable construct high quality of all of them.
Onyx Boox
Onyx releases roughly 327 new units per yr, and a few have very nice designs in comparison with comparable units available on the market, however relating to their smaller reading-centric fashions they have an inclination to really feel a bit cheaper than their eNote line.
The Boox Go 7 collection is fairly good and will most likely be thought of borderline premium high quality. Nevertheless, Onyx’s high quality management isn’t the best and their frontlights typically have some unevenness or bizarre shade tone, and for no matter motive Boox units don’t appear to carry up in addition to different manufacturers.
Pocketbook
They aren’t a well-know model in most English-speaking international locations, however Pocketbook has a few of the nicer designs on the present market. I’m unsure in the event that they qualify as “premium” however their construct high quality is best than most. They’re a bit extra refined and don’t really feel as cheaply made as Kobos and the essential Kindle, and most fashions have devoted web page buttons alongside the underside of the display.
However from my expertise Pocketbook’s flush entrance layers simply aren’t superb. They’ve a cloudier high quality than different units, which makes the textual content look worse, however perhaps they’ve fastened that on their newer fashions.
Nooks
Nooks have a tendency extra towards the center of the street relating to construct high quality. They don’t really feel as cheaply made as another manufacturers, however they positively aren’t premium both. B&N did launch one premium mannequin again in 2015, the primary Glowlight Plus, with an aluminum physique and flush entrance display, however they went again to their older design after that.
